Figure toy injury-simulating apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A plastic patch has a simulated skin blemish or injury on one surface beneath a first adhesive film. A second adhesive film is provided on the other surface for adherence to a figure toy. A simulated bandage has an adhesive coating on one surface and is applied to the figure toy in contact with the plastic patch which then adheres to the adhesive coating on the simulated bandage with more tenacity than to the figure toy so that the patch is automatically removed from the figure toy when the simulated bandage is removed, thereby simulating healing of the simulated skin blemish or injury by the simulated bandage.

United States Patent [191 Porter Jan.7, 1975 FIGURE/TOYINJURY-SIMULATING APPARATUS AND METHOD [75] Inventor: Irwin C. Porter,Quinter, Kans.

[73] Assignee: Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif.

[22] Filed: Oct. 3, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 403,235

Primary Examiner--Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. CuttingAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Max E. Shirk [5 7] ABSTRACT A plastic patch hasa simulated skin blemish or injury on one surface beneath a firstadhesive film. A second adhesive film is provided on the other surfacefor adherence to a figure toy. A simulated bandage has an adhesivecoating on one surface and is applied to the figure toy in contact withthe plastic patch which then adheres to the adhesive coating on thesimulated bandage with more tenacity than to the figure toy so that thepatch is automatically removed from the figure toy when the simulatedbandage is removed, thereby simulating healing of the simulated skinblemish or injury by the simulated bandage.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Jan. 7, 1975 xxxxxxvvx XI K XXXFIGURE TOY INJURY-SIMULATING APPARATUS AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The background of the invention will be set forth in twoparts.

1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains generally to the fieldof figure toys and more particularly to injury-simulating apparatus andmethod for a figure toy.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art known to applicant islisted by way of illustration, but not of limitation, in separatecommunication to the United States Patent Office. The present inventionexemplifies improvements over this prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide a new and useful apparatus for, and method of, simulatinginjuries and the healing thereof in figure toys.

According to the present invention, a figure toy, such as a doll or thelike, may be provided with a number of skin-blemish or injury-simulatingpatches which may be in the form of decals having the skin blemish orinjurysimulating feature printed on one surface beneath a first adhesivefilm. A second adhesive film is provided on the other surface foradherence to the doll.

A simulated bandage may then be applied to the doll in contact with thefirst adhesive film on the patch. The simulated bandage includes anadhesive coating which adheres to the doll and to the first adhesivefilm on the patch so that the patch will adhere to the adhesive coatingon the simulated bandage with more tenacity than to the doll. When thesimulated bandage is removed,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of afigure toy having an apparatus constituting a presently preferredembodiment of the invention in position thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, plan view of a simulated bandage portion of theapparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the simulated bandage of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view, with parts broken away to showinternal construction, of an injury-simulating patch portion of theapparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the simulated bandage of FIG. 2 and theinjury-simulating patch of FIG. 4 after they have been removed from thefigure toy of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the drawings,a figure toy injurysimulating apparatus constituting a presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated I0, includesa figure toy 12 having a torso 14, a head 16, a pair of arms 18, 20 anda pair of legs 22, 24.

Apparatus 10 also includes a skin-blemish-simulating orinjury-simulating patch 26 (FIG. 4) having an upper surface 28 uponwhich a simulated skin blemish or injury 30 is provided. Upper surface28 is covered by a first adhesive film 32 which, in turn, is covered bya readily-removable protective film .34. Patch 26 also includes a lowersurface 36 (FIG. 5) provided with a second adhesive film 38 for adheringpatch 26 to figure toy 12 after a readily-removable protective film 39is removed, as shown at 26 in FIG. 1 for leg 22 wherein patch 26simulates an injury thereto. Protective film 34 may then be removed anda simulated bandage 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3) may be placed on leg 22 overpatch 26 in contact therewith.

Simulated bandage 40 includes a body portion 42 having a lower surface44 (FIGS. 3 and 5) and an upper surface 46 (FIG. 1). Lower surface 44 isprovided with an adhesive film 48 which may be covered by areadilyremovable protective film 50 having overlapping portions 52, 54.When simulated bandage 40 is placed on figure toy 12 with adhesive film48 in contact with figure toy 12 and patch 26, the first adhesive film32 on patch 26 will adhere to the adhesive film 48 with more tenacitythan the second adhesive film 38 on patch 26 adheres to figure toy 12 sothat patch 26 will adhere to bandage 40, as shown in FIG. 5, whenbandage 40 is removed from figure toy 12. This simulates healing of thesimulated skin blemish or injury by bandage 40.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, a number of differentmaterials may be used for the patch 26 and the bandage 40. For example,the body portion of patch 26 may be made from a suitable vinyl materialhaving the same basic color as figure toy 12 with the simulated injurybeing printed thereon in a contrasting color. The body portion 42 ofbandage 40 may also be made from a suitable vinyl material and theadhesive films 32', 38 and 48 may comprise any suitable pressuresensitive adhesive including water-based, highmolecular-weight,pressure-sensitive acrylic latexes wherein rewetting causes a completeloss of tack, which is regained completely after drying so that patch 26and bandage 40 may be washed when they lose their tackiness due to dirtaccumulation. Protective coverings 34 and 50 may be made from wax paperor other material having a low coefficient of friction.

According to the method of the present invention, an injury to a figuretoy and the subsequent healing thereof may be simulated by applying anadhesive coated, injury-simulating patch to a figure toy, applying anadhesive-coated simulated bandage to the figure toy over theinjury-simulating patch and in contact therewith in such a manner thatthe patch will adhere to the adhesive coating on the simulated bandageand removing the simulated bandage with the injury-simulating patchadhered thereto, thereby simulating healing of the simulated injury bythe simulated bandage.

While the particular apparatus and method herein shown and described indetail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing theadvantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they aremerely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of theinvention and that no limitations are intended to the details ofconstruction or design herein shown other than as defined in theappended claims, which form a part of this disclosure. Wherever the termmeans is employed in these claims, this term is to be interpreted asdefining the corresponding structure illustrated and described in thespecification or the equivalent of the same.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of simulating an injury on a figure toy and the subsequenthealing of the injury comprising the steps of:

adhering an adhesive-coated, injury-simulating patch to said figure toy;

adhering an adhesive-coated simulated bandage to said figure toy and toand over said injurysimulating patch with greater adhesive force thanthat with which said patch is adhered to said figure toy; and thereafterremoving said simulated bandage from said figure toy, saidinjury-simulating patch adhering to said figure toy less tenaciouslythan to said simulated bandage, whereby said injury-simulating patchwill adhere to said simulated bandage and will be removed from saidfigure toy when said simulated bandage is removed.

2. In combination with a figure toy, an injurysimulating apparatuscomprising:

an adhesive-coated, injury-simulating patch releasably adhered to saidfigure toy; and

an adhesive-coated simulated bandage releasably adhered to said figuretoy over and in contact with said patch, said patch adhering to theadhesive coating on said simulated bandage with greater adhesive forcethan that with which it adheres to said figure toy.

1. A method of simulating an injury on a figure toy and the subsequenthealing of the injury comprising the steps Of: adhering anadhesive-coated, injury-simulating patch to said figure toy; adhering anadhesive-coated simulated bandage to said figure toy and to and oversaid injury-simulating patch with greater adhesive force than that withwhich said patch is adhered to said figure toy; and thereafter removingsaid simulated bandage from said figure toy, said injury-simulatingpatch adhering to said figure toy less tenaciously than to saidsimulated bandage, whereby said injury-simulating patch will adhere tosaid simulated bandage and will be removed from said figure toy whensaid simulated bandage is removed.
 2. In combination with a figure toy,an injury-simulating apparatus comprising: an adhesive-coated,injury-simulating patch releasably adhered to said figure toy; and anadhesive-coated simulated bandage releasably adhered to said figure toyover and in contact with said patch, said patch adhering to the adhesivecoating on said simulated bandage with greater adhesive force than thatwith which it adheres to said figure toy.